Lancaster County, part of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is known for its Amish culture, visitors are drawn by curiosity to these isolated, highly religious group.
The Amish population in Lancaster County has nearly tripled since 1960, and tourists to the area continue to be fascinated by them, The Amish Experience Theater and Country Homestead Tour Combo - Bird in Hand, PA, allows guests to see how the Amish really live everyday and see a play that portrays the history of this group.
Who Are the Amish?
An extremely devout in faith group, the Amish believe their literal interpretation of the Bible as the word of God, and their decision to remain isolated from worldly things will bring them closer to the Lord. The most traditional of groups are called the "old order" and don't allow and electricity or phones in their communities. They also don't have cars, because they believe the quick transportation would give them too much access to the secular world.
The Amish have always made farming their way of life, they believe their families and values can best be preserved in a rural setting, they don't permit tractors in their fields, but they do use modern farming equipment pulled by mules and horses. These traditional people choose to wear very simple and plain clothing, giving them the nickname "plain people".
The separation from mainstream society helps to strengthen their own sense of community. Amish children all attend a one room schoolhouse until the eighth grade, and every week worship services are held in someone's home. The Amish have a strong work ethic and are always willing to help out those in their community with a need.
The Amish believe pictures where individual faces are recognizable is a violation of the commandment not to create any graven images, tourists should show respect to this belief and avoid photographing the faces of the Amish. There are many values the Amish hold that are respected by mainstream society, like family values and strong work ethic.
The History of the Amish
The Plain People can follow their beginnings back to the Protestant Reformation in Europe, when purity became the focal point of many Christians. One group, called the Anabaptists adopted the tradition of only baptizing adults who made a conscious decision to follow the faith, instead of infant baptism. They also adopted the tradition of shunning group members who had not repented their sins.
These Anabaptists groups were severely persecuted all around Europe, many were even killed by both Catholics and Protestants, in response the Anabaptists moved to the isolation of the Swiss and souther German mountains; this is where they began their tradition of farming and house church services began. The Amish and Mennonites coming from the Anabaptist tradition, accepted William Penn's invitation of religious freedom, they began to immigrate and settle in Lancaster County, PA in the 1720's and 1730's.
The Amish Today
Today, The Amish can be found in 23 states and 1 Canadian Province, their settlement in Lancaster Country is the second largest with a population of 85,000. The Mennonite neighbors of the Amish hold many of the same beliefs and values, but are usually less conservative. Many Mennonites even have electricity in their homes and drive simple black cars. Very few of the Plain People children decide to leave the church when become of age.
